Breaking news: My Table magazine is very happy to announce the winners of the 2012 Houston Culinary Awards and the 2012 Houston Foodie Star Awards. The awards dinner was Sunday evening, October 7.

More than 320 restaurateurs, chefs, FOH managers, mixologists, purveyors, food writers and passionate Houston foodies attended the 16th Annual Houston Culinary Awards gala dinner, which was held at the Hilton Hotel on the University of Houston campus. Hors d’oeuvres for the cocktail reception and a seated multi-course dinner were prepared by Jason Hill & Matt Opaleski (HTown StrEATS food truck), Kaz Edwards (Uchi), Justin Yu (Oxheart), Brandi Key (Coppa Ristorante Italiano), Carlos Rodriguez (Vic & Anthony’s), Scott Tycer (Kraftsmen Baking), Rebecca Masson (Fluff Bake Bar), David Buehrer & Ecky Prabanto (Greenway Coffee & Tea) and Sarah Johnston (Fat Cat Creamery).

To learn more about our generous sponsors and view photos from the 2011 awards dinner, visit http://www.houstonculinaryawards.com/. We will soon post 2012 photos to the culinary awards website, too, so check back soon.

Congratulations to all of our finalists and winners!

Houston Culinary Awards

2012 RESTAURATEUR OF THE YEAR

Winner: Chris Shepherd (Underbelly)

Finalists: 
Anita Jaisinghani (Indika, Pondicheri) * 
Benjy Levit (Benjy’s) * 

Claire Smith (Canopy, Shade) * 
Elouise Adams Jones (Ouisie’s Table, The Bird & The Bear) * 
Marco Wiles (Da Marco, Dolce Vita, Poscól) * 
Tracy Vaught (Backstreet Cafe, Hugo’s, etc.)

 

2012 CHEF OF THE YEAR

Winner: 
Randy Evans (Haven)

Finalists: Anita Jaisinghani (Indika, Pondicheri) * 
Antoine Ware (Hay Merchant) * 
Brandi Key (Coppa Ristorante Italiano) * 
Justin Yu (Oxheart) * 
Olivier Ciesielski (L’Olivier) * 
Ryan Hildebrand (Triniti)

 

2012 UP-AND-COMING CHEF OF THE YEAR (age 35 or younger)

Winner: Matt Marcus (Eatsie Boys)

Finalists: Amanda McGraw (Brasserie 19) * Erin Smith (Plonk!) * Grant Gordon (Tony’s) * Justin Yu (Oxheart) * Kevin Naderi (Roost) * Lyle Bento (Underbelly)

 

2012 OUTSTANDING WINE SERVICE

Winner: 13 Celsius

Finalists: Da Marco * Mockingbird Bistro * Oxheart * Philippe Restaurant + Phil’s Wine Lounge * Underbelly * Vic & Anthony’s

 

2012 PASTRY CHEF OF THE YEAR (includes breadmakers)

Winner: Monica Glenn (Uchi)

Finalists: Chris Leung (Kata Robata) * Heath Wendell (Slow Dough) * Jody Stevens (Jodycakes) * Karen Man (Oxheart) * Michael Savino (Michael’s Cookie Jar) * Susan Molzan (Petite Sweets)

 

2012 OUTSTANDING BAR SERVICE

Winner: Truluck’s Steak & Stone Crab

Finalists: Beaver’s * El Gran Malo * Grand Prize Bar * Haven * Mockingbird Bistro * Mongoose Versus Cobra

 

2012 SERVICE PERSON OF THE YEAR (includes dining room managers)

Winner: Matthew Pridgen (Underbelly)

Finalists: Carlos Neri (Hugo’s) * Charles Criswell (formerly at Eddie V’s) * Justin Vann (Oxheart) * Kathy Brophy (Prego) * Linda Salinas (Haven) * Vanessa Trevino Boyd (Philippe Restaurant & Phil’s Wine Lounge)

 

2012 HOUSTON CLASSIC (a restaurant in business for 10 or more years)

Winner: Ninfa’s on Navigation

Finalists: Backstreet Cafe * Barbecue Inn * Fung’s Kitchen * Hugo’s * Indika * Ouisie’s Table

 

2012 BEST INTERIOR DESIGN

Winner: Américas (River Oaks)

Finalists: Brasserie 19 * Kata Robata * Oxheart * Triniti * Uchi * Underbelly

 

2012 BEST NEW RESTAURANT (must have opened since June 1, 2011)

Winner: Uchi

Finalists: Coppa Ristorante Italiano * Oxheart * Pizaro’s Pizza Napoletana * Roost * Triniti * Underbelly

 

Houston Foodie Star Awards

2012 FAVORITE BAKERY

Winner: Slow Dough Bread Co.

Finalists: DaCapo’s Pastry Cafe * Dessert Gallery * El Bolillo * Flying Saucer Pie Co. * Kraftsmen Baking * Rustika Cafe & Bakery

 

2012 FAVORITE BARBECUE

Winner: Pappas Bar-B-Que

Finalists: Beaver’s * Gatlin’s BBQ * Pizzitola’s Bar-B-Que * Ray’s BBQ Shack * Thelma’s Barbecue * Virgie’s Bar-B-Que

 

2012 FAVORITE BREAKFAST

Winner: Tiny Boxwood’s

Finalists: Down House * Fountain View Cafe * Kenny & Ziggy’s * La Mexicana * Ouisie’s Table * Pondicheri

 

2012 FAVORITE BURGER

Winner: Bernie’s Burger Bus

Finalists: Burger Guys * Goode Co. Hamburgers & Taqueria * Lankford Grocery * Mockingbird Bistro * Petrol Station * Rudyard’s

 

2012 FAVORITE COFFEEHOUSE

Winner: Paulie’s

Finalists: Agora * Black Hole Coffee House * Catalina Coffee * Inversion Coffee House * Greenway Coffee & Tea * Revival Market

 

2012 FAVORITE HOUSTON FOOD BLOG

Winner: Eating Our Words (Houston Press, blogs.houstonpress.com/eating)

Finalists: Dude, You Going to Eat That? (Dr. Ricky, food.drricky.net) * Eater Houston (houston.eater.com) * Guns & Tacos (Jay Rascoe, gunsandtacos.com) * Houston Foodie (J.C. Reid, jcreidtx.com) * CultureMap (houston.culturemap.com/news/food) * Texas Eats (Robb Walsh, robbwalsh.com)

 

2012 FAVORITE MOM & POP ETHNIC

Winner: Mai’s Restaurant (Vietnamese)

Finalists: Himalaya Restaurant (Pakistani) * Huynh (Vietnamese) * Irma’s (Mexican) * La Guadalupana (Mexican) * Pondicheri (Indian) * Spanish Flowers (Mexican)


2012 FAVORITE FOOD TRUCK/CART

Winner: Bernie’s Burger Bus

Finalists: H-Town StrEATS * Melange Crêperie * Pi Pizza * Sirena Seafood * Tacos Tierra Caliente * The Modular

 

2012 FAVORITE LATE NIGHT SPOT (serves food after 11 pm)

Winner: BB’s Cafe (Montrose location)

Finalists: Theo’s (formerly One’s a Meal) * Flora & Muse * Little Big’s * Mai’s Restaurant * Spanish Flowers * Tacos a Go-Go

 

2012 FAVORITE MIXOLOGIST

Winner: Bobby Heugel (Anvil Bar & Refuge)

Finalists: Sheridan Fay (El Gran Malo) * Blake Harris (Gigi’s Asian Bistro) * Alba Huerta (Anvil Bar & Refuge) * Matt Tanner (Anvil Bar & Refuge) * Yael Vengroff (Fitzgerald’s, Grand Prize Bar, Mongoose vs Cobra) * Jeremy Olivier (Down House)

 

2012 FAVORITE OUTDOOR DINING

Winner: Tiny Boxwood’s

Finalists: Baba Yega * Brasserie Max & Julie * Brennan’s of Houston * Haven * Rainbow Lodge * The Grove


2012 FAVORITE SUPERMARKET

Winner: Whole Foods

Finalists: 99 Ranch Market * Hubbell & Hudson * Local Foods * Phoenicia Specialty Foods * Revival Market * Super H Mart


2012 FAVORITE PUB OR BAR

Winner: Hay Merchant

Finalists: El Gran Malo * Grand Prize Bar * Liberty Station * Mongoose Versus Cobra * Queen Vic * Under the Volcano

 

2012 FAVORITE SWEETS/ICE CREAM

Winner: Hank’s Ice Cream Parlor

Finalists: Cloud 10 Creamery * Dessert Gallery * Fat Cat Creamery * Fluff Bake Bar * Michael’s Cookie Jar * Ooh La La Dessert Boutique

 

2012 FAVORITE WINE SELLER

Winner: The Tasting Room

Finalists: 13 Celsius * Block 7 * French Country Wines * Houston Wine Merchant * Richard’s Liquors & Fine Wines * Sonoma Retail Wine Bar & Boutique

Mark your calendar now for next year’s Houston Culinary Awards
on Sunday, October 6, 2013!